Clothes-tongs.



PATBNTED 00T. 1s, 1904.A C. o. HOLLOWELL. v

CLOTHES ToNGs.

PPLIOATION FILED MAY 5, 1904. l

. N0 MODEL.

Patented October 18,1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lCHARLES O. HOLLOWELL, -OF HARRISON, OHIO.

CLOTH ES-TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 772,566, dated October 18, 1904.

Application filed May 5, 1904:. Serial No. 206,508. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.l

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. HoLLowELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Harrison, in the county of Hamilton andState of Ohio, have invented certain new andL useful Improvements in Clothes-Tongs, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

This invention relates ido-improvements in o dev ices for removing clothes from washboilers; and it consists in a certain novel construction hereinafter iirst fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings hereto annexed, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure l is a perspective view of the device, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with parts broken away.

The tongs consists of two members A A, which' are tapered from their butt-ends B to their free or grasping ends C and have their edges rounded. These members are constructed from wood or similar material of comparatively little Weight and have their butt-ends shaped on arcs of a common circle,

so that when the two members are closed together, as shown in Fig. 2, their ends will form a semicircle, as indicated at D. Secured to theouter sides of the members and passing across the ends of the same is a band-spring E, which serves to connect the members and hold them normally open, as shown in Fig. l.

vThe band is secured in place by fastenings F insertedthrough them transversely into the bodies oi' the members, and the fastenings shouldbe of such a character that their heads will depressthe band, so as to form protecting-pockets in which the said heads rest, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. A bail or keeper G is pivotally mounted on one member and passes over the other member to limit the separating movement of the members, as will be readily understood.

In using the device it is grasped in they hand, as shown in Fig. l, and the Jfree ends inserted into the washboiler, so as to pass on opposite sides of the article to be removed. A slight pressure oi' the hand is then exerted on the members to close them and grasp the article or fabric and hold the same firmly when it may be lifted from the boiler. In order to guard against slipping of the article or fabric, the tongs may be slightly rotated on the longitudinal axis thereof to partially wind the fabric around the members. ing the pressure of the hand the spring-band is left free to act and open the tongs, so as to permit the article to be dropped in the proper receptacle.

It will be observed that the controlling spring-band lies close to the ends of the tongs and passes across the ends of the same so as B v releasl to cover them, and thereby protect them y and reinforce the spring-band. Furthermore,

the fastenings are inserted into the members through the sides andacross the grain, so that 4 there is no splitting of the members, such as is the common occurrence in constructions which have fastening devices inserted into the end.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi The improved clothes -tongs herein described and shown consisting of two members having `their butt-ends formed on arcs of a common circle whereby when together they form a semicircle, a spring-band passingv across the curved butt-ends of the members and lying close against the same whereby it protects the said ends and is reinforced by them, and headed fastenings inserted trans-kv versely through the ends of said band into the sides of the members, the 'band being depressed around the heads of the fastenings to form protecting-pockets. n

In testimony whereof I have signed this speciiication in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

CHARLES O. HOLLOWELL. Witnesses:

ELIZABETH HoLLownLL, v ARTHUR G. HoLLowELL. 

